Wilford Woodruff’s prayer for a mission answered through Elias Higbee
Published October 4, 2026 at 9:24 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
In 1834, while living in Clay County, Missouri—after Zion’s Camp had disbanded and, in one account, at the home of Lyman Wight—Wilford Woodruff felt a strong, private desire to preach the Gospel. Although serving as a Teacher and feeling he lacked authorization, he went alone into the woods or a hickory grove on a Sunday evening and prayed that the Lord would open the way for him to preach. He received a spiritual witness that his prayer had been heard and would be granted. After walking about forty rods (described in one account as approximately three hundred yards) to a road, he met High Priest Elias Higbee, who told him that the Lord or the Spirit had revealed it was his duty to preach the Gospel. Woodruff’s ordination as a Priest on November 5, 1834, is noted in one account as occurring shortly afterward.
In Their Own Words
“I had a great desire to preach the gospel, which I did not name to my brethren; but one Sunday evening I retired into the woods alone, and called upon the Lord in earnest prayer, to open my way to go and preach the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth. The Spirit of the Lord bore witness that my prayer was heard, and should be answered. I arose from my knees happy, and walked some forty rods, and met Elias Higbee, a high priest, with whom I had stayed a number of months. As I approached him, he said, “Brother Wilford, the Spirit of the Lord tells me that you should be ordained, and go on a mission.” I replied, “I am ready.” At a meeting of the branch, held soon after, Lyman Wight called for a vote to recommend me, Stephen Winchester, and Heman T. Hyde, to be ordained to the office of Priest. The recommendation was carried to the High Council, and we were ordained to the office of Priest, on the 5th of November, 1834, by Elder Simeon Carter.”
— Wilford Woodruff, Autobiography, as published in 'Wilford Woodruff: History of His Life and Labors'
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 5 October 1891 (Vol. 53, No. 40). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1891-10-05_53_40 Matthias F. Cowley, Wi… (additional source citation incomplete in supplied record) The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 15 April 1889 (Vol. 51, No. 15). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1889-04-15_51_15 Matthias F. Cowley, Wil… (additional source citation incomplete in supplied record) The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 30 May 1881 (Vol. 43, No. 22). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1881-05-30_43_22 The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, 25 March 1865 (Vol. 27, No. 12). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-morm… (URL truncated in supplied record)
Filed under
Related Miracles
Similar miracle types and stories from the 1830s.
Miracle of the Week
One remarkable, documented account in your inbox every Monday, drawn from the full archive.